


Once an Hour, Every Hour

by WGSarah



Category: The Avengers (2012)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-07-10
Updated: 2012-07-10
Packaged: 2017-11-09 14:29:59
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 293
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/456548
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WGSarah/pseuds/WGSarah
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tony and the National Archives have a somewhat acrimonious relationship.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Once an Hour, Every Hour

Tony hated the National Archives.

As Bruce understood it, the feeling was mutual.

“You should have known that wouldn’t work, Tony.”

“Everything has a price!”

“Apparently not.”

“What’s going on?” Steve stuck his head into the lab, a worried crease forming between his eyebrows. “I heard yelling.”

“Everything’s fine, Steve.” Tony flapped a hand at him. “Nothing to see here. Go kill some punching bags or something.”

Bruce sent a silent appeal to the ceiling. “Tony was trying to buy the _The Star Spangled Man_ –"

“Oh God. Let’s tell everyone and ruin the surprise!”

“There isn’t going to be a surprise, Tony, I keep telling you that. Anyway, the National Archives has the original manuscript and _un_ surprisingly, they’re unwilling to sell it to him.”

“This is because of the whole FOIA thing, isn’t it?”

“Well, I can’t imagine that endeared you to them, no, but it’s a government record, Tony. They’re not going to let it go.”

“It’s not my fault that they can’t respond to a simple information request in a timely fashion.”

“Tony, you sent in seven hundred and twenty different requests for classified information in the space of a month.”

“Not an excuse!”

Steve pinched the bridge of his nose. “Do I want to know why he’s trying to buy it?”

“No.” Bruce and Tony stated emphatically.

Steve took a step back. “Okay, then.”

“You’d weep for the ruined majesty of my thwarted plans,” said Tony.

“It’s just better for your sanity if you don’t,” said Bruce.

“Damned government bureaucrats, always making things difficult with their rules, and their schedules, and their ridiculous number two pencils, and…”

Steve slowly backed out of the lab.

—

“Seven hundred and twenty?”

“Roughly half of them were about you, so y’know, be flattered.”


End file.
